Page 22 of Dad's Cop Buddy

Inside, I find Tom pacing the kitchen floor.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Where’s my daughter?”

“So, she’s not with you,” I say, my blood freezing solid.

“With me? Why would she be with me? I’ve been calling her all day and it keeps going to voicemail so I drove out here. Imagine my surprise when I found a bunch of your clothes in her bedroom. Are you sleeping with my daughter?”

“Tom, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down! I asked you to help her with a simple problem. I just wanted you to shake up this guy that wanted her attention, but instead, you moved right in on her. Jesus, Kent, you’re twice her age. She’s just a kid.”

“No, she’s an adult, Tom. A consenting adult and we’re involved. There are more important things to discuss than your feelings, Tom. She’s missing.”

“Missing? How did you let that happen?”

I resist the urge to knock him out for blaming this on me. It’s bad enough that I blame myself.

“I think the guy who ‘wanted her attention’ abducted another girl three years ago. I have the whole force out looking for them. We’re going to find her.”

“Are you telling me this guy took her? From where?”

“It looks like he abducted her on campus.”

“When this is over, Kent, I want you out of here. Do you hear me?”

“When this is over, Tom, I plan on taking Kendal out of here with me. Do you hear me?”

My cell phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket.

“Kendrickson.”

“Sir, I think I’ve got something. We went to the suspect’s residence as you requested and we found some mail there.”

“Okay, so he gets mail. What about it?”

“It isn’t addressed to this place. It’s a tax notice for a property on the outskirts of town. Based on the address, I’d say it’s right around the area where you lost him today.”

“That’s excellent work. Get everybody on the same page. We’re going to go find this place. Again, do not approach the suspect. Clear?”

“Clear, Sir. See you soon.”

“I have to go, Tom. I’ll keep you updated as the situation develops.”

“I expect you will.”

I turn to leave but stop short of the door. I turn back to him and say, “Tom, I’m going to bring her back safely. I promise. While you wait for that to happen, you should dive deep into the ocean of feelings that must be running through you right now. The uncertainty, the fear, the feeling of loss, the regret. Breathe it in like your life depends on it. Then, when I bring our girl back, remember what it was like to mourn the loss of her and do everything you can to make it up to her. At least, that’s what I’d do.”

I get into the SUV and radio the officer for the address on the tax notice then head out in that direction. On the way, I find six patrol cars sitting in the grocery store parking lot waiting for me.

“A stakeout seems to be the best course of action. We’ll surround the location and check to confirm the girl is there. If we ascertain that she’s in no immediate danger, we’ll stake the place out and wait for the suspect to come outside. When he does, we take him down.”

“And if she is in imminent danger?” an officer asks.

I don’t even want to consider the possibility, but they have to know what to do. Swallowing hard, I tell him, “Then I’m going in.”

We’re about to make our way up the mountain when I spot Sanders’ car driving that way.

“That’s him!” I shout into my radio.

---